Russia's Kaliningrad Problem with Lithuania Is Ukraine 2.0 ... with Some Big Differences

Lithuania has begun enforcing European Union export restrictions on Russia, thereby blocking deliveries of steel to its Kaliningrad exclave. The parallels between this situation and Ukraine are uncanny. However, there are a few major dissimilarities that will likely lead to a different outcome.

0:00 What is Kaliningrad?
0:49 The Lithuania Crisis
1:43 Connection to Ukraine
3:08 How Russia Bought the Black Sea Fleet
5:12 The Kaliningrad Land Bridge Problem
6:40 The Crimea Land Bridge Problem
8:26 Why Lithuania Is Different

From President of Ukraine:

From Government of Ukraine:

From RIAN Archive:

By U.S. Secretary of Defense:

FinnishGovernment:

From European People's Party:

Baltic Economic Forum:

From Saeima:

[CJusticeHappen]

Lithuania purposefully rejected assimilation with Kaliningrad for the purpose of avoiding adding Russians to their population. They basically avoided the fate that Ukraine got when they got Crimea.

[BANKO]

One major correction. The Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were not Soviet brothers, but they were forcibly occupied by Soviet Russia from the original invasion in 1940 (interrupted by Germany for three years) until post-Soviet restoration of independence and liberation from Soviet occupation.

[rufenas]

at once Lithuania was ranked nr1 at hating russia. Calling them "brothers" is a big mistake. Lithuania sees russia as the biggest enemy as the biggest bad guy, from all the countries occupied by them Lithuania fought the hardest. Out guerilla war was one of the longest and bloodiest in europe.

[LTVeranda]

"Soviet union" was never a "union', for Baltic states it was a brutal occupation. Baltic states have always been oriented towards the West and when occupied by Soviet union, continued their resistance through entire occupation time. So to call Lithuania and Russia 'brothers' is just disrespectful. A third part of population was wiped out, most of families in Lithuania have their relatives or grandparents killed by the soviets.

[marksullivan]

Kaliningrad was originally a German City. During WW2 the city was levelled with not a single building surviving. As late as the 1980, significant buildings - such as their Cathedral - were still in ruins. At the end of the War, Russia decided it wanted an “ice free” port for the Baltic fleet. So they evicted every single German, then settled it with Russians. It is strange when you go there because they put an enormous effort into celebrating their German history and culture. Which is hilarious because not a single family can trace their roots back to earlier than 1945.

[CHITUS]

5:39 Lithuania was never been a "Soviet brother". They was just a oppressed and occupied territory by Soviet Union. They fought their way out literally with only hands against tanks by laying down on the streets, pushing them with bare hands. That was in 1991, people died that day, crushed with tanks and shot dead by soviet soldiers.

[losthart]

If Russia didn't treat its dominions like crap during the "Commie" years, then maybe these countries wouldn't be defensive towards Russia. Remembering old wounds bring up old fears. 🤔

[gediminaskucinskas]

You forgot to mention that soviet union once suggested to give Kalliningrad to Lithuania but Lithuania rejected because they feared that since there are so many russians there (as most native german or lithuanian people that lived in Kalliningrad were killed or deported) it could cause to big problems in the future like Crimea.

[taumil]

"Lithuania, one of its former soviet brothers" - we were never brothers, actually I don't think there was ever anything resembling even a notion of positive feelings towards Russia

[MV-hxjr]

Dude, Lithuania was never a "Soviet brother" , what a weird messed up comparison that is

[RandomBazooka]

Lithuania being a soviet brother? That is a big factual mistake to say. It's like saying USA is a Chinese brother.

[MochineMike]

Dude, the Baltics hated the Russians especially Lithuania.. they all pretty much welcomed Nazi Germany as liberators when they invaded after the start of OP Barbarossa

[richardk]

I have family in Lithuania and they would not have called themselves brothers with Soviet Russia. Everyone I know in Lithuania hated them and the feelings against Russia are still very strong.

[vgshwk]

Funny that Russia is beetching about Kaliningrad being denied a land route to continental Russia which is perfectly legal when they are denying Ukraine illegally a sea route to the Black Sea.

[Ghost]

Lithuania is where my dad is from. He fought against Russian soldiers

[SparkyCas]

It's hard to really formulate words on how I'm not surprised, as a native to Lithuania, that my country is very keen on keeping Russian export out of it's way with the restrictions that it's slowly applying. It's just a bit hilarious, knowing the history us Lithuanians have with Russia.

[joeallen]

Liberating ethnic russians and forming a land bridge with crimea may be their official goals, although has anyone noticed that the area occupied just so happens to contain the majority of Ukraine's natural gas reserves?

[Gametheory]

To be clear, "brothers" is sarcastic. I am well-aware of the Russia-Lithuania history.

[rzwlstd]

I live 10km away from Kaliningrad, its a bit scary because sometimes we can hear them doing tank shooting exercises, and its a bit scary

[robvig]

For many “Kaliningrad” will always be Königsberg.